Fastening systems are widely used on a variety of articles, examples of which include disposable absorbent articles. Some fastening systems can create non-refastenable attachments between materials. In many cases these non-refastenable attachments cannot be unattached and effectively refastened after being unattached. Other fastening systems create refastenable attachments between materials which can be unattached and subsequently refastened.
Examples of refastenable fastening systems may include hook and loop type fastening systems, hook and hook type fastening systems, as well as some adhesive type fastening systems. Typically these fastening systems include fastening elements such as an engaging component and a landing component. In general, the engaging component and the landing component have to be aligned in a face-to-face relationship before fastening because misalignment of the engaging component and the landing component can result in poor fastening system performance. In addition, some refastenable fastening systems, e.g. adhesive type fastening systems, can become easily contaminated by foreign material which can reduce the performance of the fastening system.
Another example of a refastenable fastening system is a macrofastener type fastening system. Macrofasteners are an alternative type of fastening system which can aid in achieving proper alignment of the fastening elements being connected. Moreover, macrofasteners are generally contamination-proof.
Examples of macrofastener type fastening systems include snaps, buttons, and hook and eye type fastening systems. Unfortunately, the fastening elements of these macrofastener fastening systems, in a fastened state, generally allow rotation about a single point which can be problematic in some applications. In order to reduce the ability to rotate about the single point, multiple fastening elements may be required. Because multiple fastening elements may be required to reduce the ability to rotate about the single point, these macrofastener fastening systems may be considered non-ideal for many applications including absorbent articles.
Another example of a macrofastener type fastening system is the tab and slot type fastening system. Tab and slot fastening systems typically include a tab member and a slot member. The tab member typically includes a tab element attached to a substrate element, and the slot member includes a slot which is configured to receive the tab element.
In general, the tab and slot fastening system can be fastened when the tab element is in either a first orientation or a second orientation. In order to fasten the tab and slot fastening system while the tab member is in the first orientation, a proximal edge of the tab element can be inserted and passed through the slot, and subsequently, a distal edge of the tab element can be passed through the slot.
In order to fasten the tab and slot fastening system while the tab member is in the second orientation, the tab element generally is passed through the slot such that the proximal edge and the distal edge pass through the slot contemporaneously. Once the tab element passes through the slot, the tab element is generally pivoted such that part of the proximal edge of the tab element engages an outboard portion of the slot member, and part of the distal edge of the tab element engages an inboard portion of the slot member. However, because the slot is typically narrow in width, the tab element typically has to be pivoted relative to the slot such that the tab element is generally parallel to the substrate element as the tab element passes through the slot.
Unfortunately, fastening the tab and slot fastening system when the tab member is in the second orientation can require a caregiver or a wearer to perform awkward hand movements. These awkward hand movements can cause ergonomic stress to the caregiver or the wearer performing these awkward hand movements.
In addition, in some applications, the performance of these awkward hand movements can become increasingly difficult. For example, an infant wearer of a disposable absorbent article can be moving around while donning the disposable absorbent article. Given the sometimes unpredictable nature of the movements of the wearer, the difficulty in performing these awkward hand movements can increase.
Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide a versatile fastening system which facilitates the fastening of its fastening elements by allowing at least one of the fastening elements to be oriented in more than one orientation during fastening. It would also be advantageous to provide a versatile fastening system which reduces the likelihood of the performance of awkward hand movements to fasten the fastening elements of the versatile fastening system.